


Two Sober Dudes and a Party

by capirony



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-20
Updated: 2014-10-20
Packaged: 2018-02-21 22:06:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2483996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capirony/pseuds/capirony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"...“Not drinking anything tonight? Are you the DD?”</p>
<p>“If DD stands for I Don’t Drive,” Ray replies with a smirk, “Then yes,” he takes a sip of his coke. Ryan laughs beside him and Ray is pretty sure he loves it."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Sober Dudes and a Party

**Author's Note:**

> cackles into the night about the designated driver comment and the title. i will say this on like every fic: i am terrible at titles dont mind me.
> 
> no but honestly this is the pairing ive written the most fics for (ok second most) and im having a blast. tell me if i suck tho so i dont get too cocky hah
> 
> this ones from a prompt too: "they meet at a party" which i thought would be perfect considering those two dont drink. also i thought about putting more people in the story but honestly gav was the only one worth naming and tagging.

It wasn’t his thing; loud music and blaring lights, cheap alcohol in cheaper plastic cups, people too close to other people, people yelling and screaming and singing, people making him want to throw up. He was surrounded by drunk, loud, idiotic college students (and probably some underage teenagers, too) and the whole place smelled like weed (read: cow shit). For how much he joked about it, he would never let himself go under the influence, _any_ influence, and the only reason he was here was because his idiot friend had dragged him along, thinking it would do him some good to socialize.

Said idiot friend was currently talking up a cute redhead with a killer smile, having left Ray almost immediately after getting through the front door. Ray scowled in his general direction out of spite. She can make sure Gavin doesn’t get too drunk tonight, Ray didn’t care anymore and he’s pretty sure he wouldn’t have cared anyways. He wanted to go back to his apartment and play video games in the companionable silence of himself. He wanted to go home to where it smelled like him and there wasn’t people shoving into him every goddamn second. He wasn’t suited for large parties like this and he was definitely getting a headache from the sound mixed with the smell (and he’s pretty sure the amount of people had to do with that, too). It was bad.

Moving from his safe place in the corner of the room, he retreated to the front yard easily enough, happy to see that it was empty, save for a few lawn chairs here and there. The house was probably in good shape before this party even started, and Ray was sure the hosts didn’t intend for the party to end up so large in number this early into the night. After brushing off the seat for good measure, he sat himself down, the muted music in the background still rattling on his nerves, but his diligence to wait for his friend won out. But seriously, fuck that guy. Ray was honestly surprised that the cops hadn’t been called yet.

He was alone with the can of coke he’d been nurturing ever since he got there and was enjoying the fact for a good while before the door behind him abruptly slams open. The music is suddenly violently loud and the stench wafts out, but Ray can still hear the argument in the doorway, “No, I don’t want any of your shit now leave me alone okay?” 

“Come _on_ Ryan! You’re no fun!” 

“I’ve been told,” and then there’s a slam and Ray stiffens in his seat, a deer in the headlight, or rather an asshole who’s just overheard something he’d rather not be confronted about.

The man at the door takes a few steps and stops abruptly. Ray can hear his footsteps in the grass, “Am I interrupting something?” He asks. There seems to be a bit of vinegar in his voice.

Ray stands then, quickly, facing the man. He’s stunned for a moment just by how much taller than himself he is and how blue his eyes were, even in the dark, but eventually he manages to stammer out, “Nope, I can leave, it’s all good.”

The man holds up his hands in a defensive manner, moving to lean from one leg to the other as he says, “No, no, you can stay, if you don’t mind me joining?”

Ray gulps and nods, sitting down just as quick as he had stood, but trying (and obviously failing) to keep his cool all the while. The man, Ryan, he thinks, takes the lawn chair beside him and sighs loudly as he relaxes his whole body into it. He doesn’t seem to be drunk or high like everyone else inside the house and the thought alone makes Ray relax significantly. 

It seems this Ryan was thinking the same thing, “Not drinking anything tonight? Are you the DD?”

“If DD stands for I Don’t Drive,” Ray replies with a smirk, “Then yes,” he takes a sip of his coke. Ryan laughs beside him and Ray is pretty sure he loves it.

“Uh huh, okay. Then why are you here?” Ray feels that one in his gut.

“Why are you here? You aren’t drinking either.”

“I live here.”

Ray chokes on his current mouthful of pop and spits it out, “Sorry man,” he says, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his hoodie.

The other man shrugged, “They do this all the time. Fucking sucks but hey, murders illegal.”

Ray laughed, mentally noting to never make this man angry, “I’m Ray,” he introduces.

“Ryan. Nice to meet you.”

They sit in companionable silence for a little while and then Ryan asks, “Wanna get out of here, or are you waiting for someone in particular?”

Ray’s heart is thudding in his chest all of a sudden and he dumbly blurts the first thing that comes to his mind, “Sure.” The look on Ryan’s face makes his heart beat faster.

They nearly sprint to one of the cars parked on the other side of the street and speed away from the terrible music and empty promises as fast as they can.

\---

They end up at Mcdonalds.

Ryan buys them both sundaes and they situate themselves down in one of the booths, furthest away from the counter. They talk for what seems like forever and the conversation never falters. It goes from the basics like age, major, favourite colour, and then they start talking about hobbies and find out how much they both love video games. It’s the only thing they have in common so far (other than the sober thing) but they end up talking about it long after they finish their sundaes.

Ray’s phone buzzes in his pocket and he ignores it the first two times, but when it starts buzzing uncontrollably he groans, “Your friend?” Ryan guesses and Ray nods. He answers the phone regrettably,

“Hello?”

“Ray!” The voice on the other end is drunk and Ray groans, “Ray my buddy ol pal! Hows my little Ray?”

“Fine Gavin,” He says, “Where are you?”

“I am,” he makes a huge retching sound then and Ray pulls the phone away from his ear in disgust, “I am at this lovely lady’s house. She is _so_ lovely, Ray!” He could hear muted giggling in the background and he wondered why Gavin had called him in the first place.

“So?”

“So, I just wanted you to,” he hiccuped, “--know that I won't be home tonight!”

Ray sighed, mildly annoyed as he had figured as much before he even left the crowded house, “Okay. Go back to what you were doing, okay Vav?”

“You got it, my little X-Ray!”

Ray sighs, “Okay, I’m hanging up. Don’t die.”

“I love yoouu Ray!” Ray hangs up on him and shoves his cheap flip phone back into his pocket. Ryan laughs beside him and Ray halfheartedly glares at him. 

“Sounds like a handful.”

“Only when he’s drunk. No, never mind. You’re completely right,” Ryan laughs again and Ray wishes he can listen to it forever.

They’ve been at Mcdonalds for what feels like hours now when Ryan decides it’s time to go. Ray is a bit saddened but hell if he’d let Ryan know that. They retreat to Ryan’s car and in no time Ray is directing him to his apartment. 

In no time, they’re sitting outside Ray’s apartment building and neither of them is really willing to or even hinting at leaving. “What are you going to do?” Ray asks, fingers playing with the warn hem of his favourite hoodie. It was obvious to the both of them that the party was probably still underway. 

Ryan shrugs, “I’m used to sleeping in the mess, I guess.”

Ray bites his tongue, but in that moment he feels brave so he lets it go, “I have an empty couch if you’d like?”

Something sparks in his eyes and Ray thinks he’s going to deny the offer, of _course_ he’d deny the request they’ve only just met! And like, sure they’ve been talking for the past two hours but that doesn’t mean anything to normal people. For all Ray knows, Ryan could be a serial killer!

“If you’re offering,” Ryan says and there’s a smirk in his voice, “How can I refuse?”

\---

It’s awkward at first, Ray opening the door to his dark, empty apartment and the both of them standing there not knowing what to do. He shares it with Gavin and they’re pretty good together. Gavin is a good roommate, he cleans up after himself and he never makes much noise, he’s just a little shitty when he drinks too much. He also brings home too many girls, but that’s why Ray has headphones.

“Home, sweet, home,” Ray says, throwing his arms open wide and taking a few steps in. Ryan closes the door behind himself and walks in after him. The apartment opens up to a kitchen on the left and the living room on the right. Further down the hallway are the two bedrooms on one side and a closet on the other. The bathroom is directly at the end of the hallway. There’s a large window in the living room that Ray hates because it always sets a glare on his TV when he’s playing video games during the day, but he has to admit that it looks nice. “You could sleep on my bed, if you want. But really we both know I’m only saying that to be a good host.”

“What if I’d rather sleep in your bed?” Ryan asks, shooting Ray a mischievous look. Ray plays it cool and laughs it off.

“Nah, you get to sleep on the couch. It’s comfy, I swear.”

Ryan makes a defeated sound but sits himself down on the plush couch anyway. Ray busies himself in the closet, retrieving a blanket and a pillow for his guest. Ryan takes them from him coolly and with a yawn, which Ray returns. 

They’re both tired, Ray can feel it in his bones and see it in Ryan’s eyes, “You all good, or should I read you a bedtime story before I head off?”

Ryan laughs and it’s just what Ray wanted, “I think I’m good,” he says, laying the blanket down and fiddling with the pillow a little. He stands straight in front of Ray and Ray wonders how much he’d have to lean down so he could--, “You good?”

“I am good,” Ray says, shoving the previous thought out of his mind. He steps away, thumb pointing over his shoulder as he says, “Bathrooms down the hall. I’m going to sleep. If you need anything, my room will be the one with the open door.”

“Got it. Night, then.”

“Good night.”

He walks away to the bathroom and he can feel Ryan’s eyes on him the whole time. He doesn’t turn around as he closes the door. Once he’s (relatively) alone, his whole body nearly collapses. He’s tired and he’s slightly embarrassed and more than a little nervous as hell. He slumps to the counter and stares at himself in the mirror, making faces to himself as he washes his hands, spritzing some of the spray onto his face. 

When he finishes up in the bathroom the lights are all nearly turned off. There’s a faint glow coming from the couch area and Ray thinks it’s probably Ryan on his phone. _Maybe I should ask him for his number_ , Ray thinks to himself, instead shaking his head and going to his room. He doesn’t bother turning on the light, he just undresses down to a tee and his boxers and gets right in bed. It doesn’t take long for him to fall asleep.

\---

He slumps out of bed in the morning (he uses the term loosely; its earlier than noon and that’s all that really matters at the moment) and he wishes he didn’t stay up so late last night. He rubs his eyes as he heads to the bathroom, briefly wondering why his door was open. It’s not until he’s finished up in the bathroom and he’s drying his hands off when it hits him and his heart is suddenly racing a mile a minute. 

He opens the door the the bathroom slowly, creeping out only after making sure that Ryan wasn’t standing in the hallway or looking over the couch at him or staring him down with a knife in his hand or something. He wasn’t even sure if the stranger was awake or not and he desperately wished he wasn’t. Ray made his way to the living room and almost smacked himself because _holy fuck_ Ryan was attractive. The man, Ray had learned, was three years older than himself and nearly done his time at college. Ray didn’t ask him what he was going to do with himself afterwards but he had a slight suspicion that the guy didn’t even know for himself.

Said oldie was currently asleep peacefully on Ray’s couch. His pink kissable lips were parted just slightly, sandy brown hair ruffled, one arm holding the pillow, the other thrown over the side of the couch, legs twisted up under the blanket which miraculously still covered the man. He looked so perfectly at peace and so fucking adorable. Ray had to leave the living room before he did something stupid.

In the kitchen, he went about making himself an extravagant breakfast, a meal fit for a king; a bowl of lucky charms. It wasn’t even stale and his milk wasn’t due for another four days. He felt proud of himself and he was actually very happy to find his charms intact (Gavin had a tendency to eat his cereal). Gathering his courage, he made his way back to the living room, seating himself in the only place he ever ate food; in front of his TV. He would have had his main set-up in his own room but Gavin had begged and begged Ray to set it up where he could use it too. Ray begrudgingly obliged.

He sat himself in between the soundlessly asleep Ryan and the coffee table, fiddling around with his 3DS quietly as he munched away on his charms. It wasn’t until he was nearly done all the marshmallows he had savoured that Ryan began to make the sounds one would usually make when waking and it took all of Ray’s concentration and power not to turn around and watch him. Listening to him rustle around and eventually sit up, Ray was prepared for the sleepy, “Ray?” Ryan murmured, but he absolutely was not prepared for how gravelly and husky and utterly attractive his voice was. God his voice was like heaven to Ray’s ears.

Ray turned around to face him, playing cool, “How’d ya sleep?” Ryan’s eyes were hazy blue, hair a mess and shirt pulled up a little revealing a small strip of skin and the faint dusting of hair. Ray tried his best to avoid that area with his eyes.

“Not bad. Nice couch.”

“Told ya. Want some lucky charms?”

Ryan gives him a look, half confused, half amused and replies, “Sure.”

As Ray gets him a bowl, Ryan busies himself in the bathroom. He regretfully told him there weren’t any extra toothbrushes but that there was mouthwash if he wanted to use it. Ryan seemed grateful enough as is, but Ray still felt a pang of nervousness as he watched Ryan walk down the hall. Regardless, Ryan was back in no time and he looked just as good in the morning light as he did in the crappy fluorescents of Mcdonalds and the drunken 1 am lights of the party. 

Ryan happily takes the bowl from Ray and scarfs it down easily enough, idle chatter between the two filling up the empty spaces between. Ray briefly thinks he has laughed more in the hours spent with Ryan than he had in the entirety of last week. 

Later, they play video games together and Ray realizes that Ryan is just as good as he is and it thrills him to have a challenge after months of playing against Gavin (he’s good, but he’s not competition, yanno?). They exchange phone numbers and gamertags and Ray feels like he’s sixteen and he just got asked out by the hottest guy in school. He might as well be.

It’s sometime around three when Ryan a phone call. His ringtone is embarrassing and they both laugh, but then he looks at who’s calling and get’s the most annoyed look Ray has ever seen on another humans beings face, like, ever. There’s a man on the other end that Ray can hear only slightly and all he catches from it is mumbles from a voice that slurs a lot of their words. Ryan doesn’t seem too enthused by the man.

“No, I’m not going back until it’s clean, okay? You messed the place up, you can fix it, stop making me clean up your shit” His words sound biting, but his tone is endearing. He’s obviously been through this before. “Yes. Yes, I know. Clean it. Goodbye.”

The phone call ends and Ray awkwardly considers resuming their game right that moment just to clear the air. Ryan sighs, “Roommates, yanno?” Ray laughs because yeah, he knows.

It’s five thirty when Ryan gets another call, and this time Ray is worried that he’s actually going to go home. Not that he shouldn’t, though, it’s been a while.

He doesn’t seem too disgruntled when he answers the call, and the way he looks at Ray when the slurring voice asks him something makes Ray’s heart skip a fucking beat. They had been playing Super Smash Bros. on the Wii and Ryan had _finally_ given up on calling the console a piece of shit. Honestly, the only reason they had one in the apartment was because it’s Gavin’s. Ray would never be caught owning that piece of shit.

Ryan hangs up with little conversation and sighs loudly, “Looks like I’m out of here,” he chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, “I didn’t expect to stay too long, to be honest.”

Ray smiles then, mostly to himself, “I didn’t either.”

They’re silent for a moment and then Ray stands, prompting Ryan to do so as well. He didn’t have many things with him, literally the clothes on his back plus a jacket and his phone. Car keys were tucked away in his pocket at the same time his phone is and the jacket slides onto his body seamlessly. Ray can’t help but ogle at him, holding back comments that include him wanting to climb him like a tree and wanting to bang him right then and there.

They walk slowly, agonizingly slowly to the door until Ryan is standing at one side of the door and Ray is at the other. There’s a tense moment where they both seem to be staring at each other’s eyes and lips and it’s not even awkward in the slightest. Ray tries to convince himself of that at least.

It’s Ryan who moves first. It’s a swift movement and at first it catches Ray off guard. There’s a small pressure against his lips and a big warm hand cupping the back of his neck. Ray’s hands lift to touch him back but before he makes contact Ryan is backing up, face red and eyes shining. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to, I just--”

“Kiss me again,” Ray demands breathlessly and he does. It lasts just a little bit longer than the first one and Ray is holding onto his jacket as best as he can. Ryan holds him almost tenderly in his arms and Ray wants to melt. 

It’s the moment that Ray pulls him closer and Ryan comes to him easily that the door unlocks and Gavin is suddenly standing there all at once, gawking at them. They reflexively jump away from each other almost comically from the sound alone, Ryan bringing his wrist to his mouth and Ray blushing hard as they stare back at the Brit. Gavin’s face goes from exaggeratedly surprised to undoubtedly gleeful. 

“My little X-Ray!” he squeaks and Ray wants to punch him.

Ryan looks at Ray and Ray meets his gaze evenly; they’re both smiling and Gavin is way too invested in what’s happening. “I’ll call you?”

“Sweet,” Ray says in reply. He’s breathless but he plays it cool as per usual. Gavin squeaks again as Ryan excuses himself and leaves the way Ray had directed him when he first arrived the night before. 

Gavin bounces inside, the door swinging shut behind him and Ray immediately ceases all contact with his friend. He blocks out the squawks coming from him and locks himself in his room. He’s fucked, he is so _totally_ fucked.

It’s hours later and Ray fears he may have forgotten, but Ryan does what he’s promised and he calls him back.

And Ray knows it wasn’t going to be the last time he’d be seeing him.


End file.
